Tales from the crypt

February 23, 2007 6:55

Brace yourself. James Cameron, the man who brought you ‘The Titanic’ is back with another blockbuster. This time, the ship he’s sinking is Christianity.In a new documentary, Producer Cameron and his director, Simcha Jacobovici, make the starting claim that Jesus wasn’t resurrected –the cornerstone of Christian faith– and that his burial cave was discovered near Jerusalem. And, get this, Jesus sired a son with Mary Magdelene.

No, it’s not a re-make of "The Da Vinci Codes’. It’s supposed to be true.

Let’s go back 27 years, when Israeli construction workers were gouging out the foundations for a new building in the industrial park in the Talpiyot, a Jerusalem suburb. of Jerusalem. The earth gave way, revealing a 2,000 year old cave with 10 stone caskets. Archologists were summoned, and the stone caskets carted away for examination. It took 20 years for experts to decipher the names on the ten tombs. They were: Jesua, son of Joseph, Mary, Mary, Mathew, Jofa and Judah, son of Jesua.Israel’s prominent archeologist Professor Amos Kloner didn’t associate the crypt with the New Testament Jesus. His father, after all, was a humble carpenter who couldn’t afford a luxury crypt for his family. And all were common Jewish names.There was also this little inconvenience that a few miles away, in the old city of Jerusalem, Christians for centuries had been worshipping the empty tomb of Christ at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Christ’s resurrection, after all, is the main foundation of the faith, proof that a boy born to a carpenter’s wife in a manger is the Son of God.

But film-makers Cameron and Jacobovici claim to have amassed evidence through DNA tests, archeological evidence and Biblical studies, that the 10 coffins belong to Jesus and his family.

Ever the showman, (Why does this remind me of the impresario in another movie,"King Kong", whose hubris blinds him to the dangers of an angry and very large ape?) Cameron is holding a New York press conference on Monday at which he will reveal three coffins, supposedly those of Jesus of Nazareth, his mother Mary and Mary Magdalene. News about the film, which will be shown soon on Discovery Channel, Britain’s Channel 4, Canada’s Vision, and Israel’s Channel 8, has been a hot blog topic in the Middle East (check out a personal favorite: Israelity Bites) Here in the Holy Land, Biblical Archeology is a dangerous profession. This 90-minute documentary is bound to outrage Christians and stir up a titanic debate between believers and skeptics. Stay tuned. –Tim McGirk/Jerusalem

My scepticism increases with every bullet that is fired, with every bomb that is detinated, with every image of death and destruction that i see, all in the name of God.
Lift your eyes from the fanciful pages of your book and bathe your face in the truth, for nothing yes nothing that has perished and died in this world, has ever miraculously returned to live among us once again and if you believe me to be wrong, then proove me wrong.
"THOU SHALLT NOT KILL" now thats a laugh for a start.

This is very interesting. Since we discovered that the Atom was divisible, we do not know what to believe ! An atom was supposed to be the smallest particle. Then it was divided into still smallest particles ! Each generation is bringing something new. I, am not sure of my beliefs nowadays, but one thing I as sure is not to do wrong to others. This is the best religion and belief according to me. I am living it peacefully.

Despite its wide spread popularity and the common belief that it is the inspired word of God, the Bible has always been and will always be a Book, written by men, with human weaknesses and personal desires, its an argument that has waged wars for 2000 years, the lessons it teaches are as powerful today as they were all those years ago and we would all do well to follow the examples it provides for good living, the world is full of broken people looking for the strength to hold themselves together and many find that strength through the Bible, but Religion has a lot to answer for, the way man has twisted the meanings and translations of the original text to benefit his own perverted goals.